Ratan Kumar Sinha, Director of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), last week took over as Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and Secretary of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE). His appointments come at a time when India's nuclear sector is passing from challenging times. In an interview with Sanjay Jog, Sinha speaks on a number of issues.
What are your priorities?
The programmes of DAE are well defined and are already progressing well on stipulated growth path. In the near term, however, I will like to initiate some more high priority activities.
The first priority is to remove the irrational fear of radiation in the public mind. The common person tends to associate radiation with the catastrophe in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and this is the main reason for the fear of radiation. However, scientific findings based on studies on the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombing survivors and the persons exposed to radiation following the Chernobyl accident, have clearly indicated that consequences are far less harmful than what was postulated in a hypothesis several decades ago. The nuclear plants, during their operation, contribute to hardly any additional radiation field to the environment and fulfill the conservative radiation limits stipulated by the regulatory authorities by remaining usually within 2 to 3% of such limits at the plant boundary. We would like to educate the public at large and try to remove the unwarranted fear of radiation associated with the operation of nuclear power plants.
I will also try to launch a programme to communicate as well as implement, the benefits of the DAE programmes by involving non-governmental organisations and the local agricultural universities, who have good linkages with the neighbouring rural population.
My another priority will be to expeditiously develop indigenous Pressurised Water Reactor of 700 MWe capacity, which would require less quantity of water. Safeguarded uranium could be used for these indigenous pressurised water reactors (PWRs). A concept design for indigenous 700 MWe PWR has already been prepared by NPCIL.
However, the nuclear capacity addition faces huge challenge of land acquisition. What is your take on this?
We are bound by certain prescribed rules for siting and land requirement for nuclear plants. Today, in most parts of our densely populated country, there is a problem of land acquisition not only for nuclear but to any other large industry. Some of the issues relate to meeting the expectations of the neighbouring population with regard to the compensation package that should be provided. We have also expanded the scope of our neighbourhood development programme, and that should help in providing early benefits to the neighbouring population around the nuclear power plants.
Besides, there has been opposition for Kudankulam and Jaitapur nuclear projects. Opposition for nuclear plants is growing. What you have to say?
I have recently visited Kudankulam and I was very glad to see full support and positive feelings of the representatives of neighbouring villages in anticipation of the launch of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant. I believe that the opposition is confined to a few small sections of the neighbouring population, and I am sure we will be able to overcome any reservations in these communities through more intense interactions. I do not see any sustained constraints for the large growth of nuclear energy in our country.
Will you pursue launch of new research reactors during 12th Plan?
We plan to launch a Dhruva like research reactor with 125 MW thermal power. Besides, a compact 30 MW thermal, High Flux Research Reactor is planned for generating high neutron flux needed for material irradiation. These reactors are expected to help in large scale production of radioisotopes that have application in agriculture, food processing, medicine, industrial uses and protection of environment through processing of municipal wastes. We plan to start the building of these two reactors by end of 12th plan and hope to commission them during the 13th plan period.
How you plan to exploit potential of exports of Indian reactors of 220 MW and 500 MW?
We have proven technology and full indigenous capability for these reactors. There is a demand in some countries, with limited grid capacity, for small and medium sized nuclear reactors. We are the only country in the world today building and operating small and medium reactors of 220 MWe and 540 MWe capacity. We are, therefore, in a very strong position to offer such reactors for export.
What are your views on the government’s move to establish the Nuclear Safety Regulatory Authority?
We already have an autonomous regulatory body – the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, which is already functionally independent. Upon establishing of Nuclear Safety Regulatory Authority, our nuclear regulatory system will become ‘de jure’ independent.